8th Grade Humanities Supplementary ReadingList
This is a supplementary reading list to complement the themes and curriculum that will be covered throughout the Humanities program. We have a great selection of books for you, from mystery, adventure and historical to some of the latest contemporary fiction. We’ve included non-fiction, poetry and graphic novels in the list. Books that are also on the reading lists for High School have been marked by an asterisk (*).
Books have been coded by color according to the difficulty of the book. Level 3 is the most challenging level. The books have been organized chronologically into the themes we will cover throughout the year. We have included films that can serve as additional background and text.
Before choosing a book we suggest that each student does a little research about the book so that they make sure it is appropriate for them both in reading level and interest. As education is a team effort, we would like to encourage parents to be a part of this process.
We want to remind students that you should be reading a variety of different genres and levels. Books at Level 1 have just as important a message as books at Level 3. For Level 3 non-fiction books, students might find certain chapters easier than others. It is okay to read 1 or 2 chapters within a book and to come back to the book when you are older.
Level 3 Reaching (sophisticated vocabulary, making connections with new ideas, reaching beyond what you know and exploring new concepts,) Level 2 Bridging (age appropriate language, some familiar concepts) Level 1 Expanding (expanding vocabulary, ideas and concepts)
Film
Not One Less (China) Jean de Floret (France) The Red Balloon (France) To Live (China) All Quiet on the Western Front (USA) Fiddler On the Roof (Eastern Europe)
Texts
Level 1
The Amah, Laurence Yep Bless Me Ultima, Rudolfo Anaya Chinese Cinderella, Adeline Yen Mah Confessions of a Closet Catholic, Sarah Darer Littman Hiroshima, Laurence Yep Project Mulberry, Linda Sue Park Thief of Hearts, Laurence Yep When The Legends Die, Hal Borland
Level 2
American Born Chinese, Gene Luen Yang (graphic novel) RiceWithout Rain, Minfong Ho Children of the River, Linda Crew The Conch Bearer (The Brotherhood of the Conch series) Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni Cuba 15, Nancy Osa The Deeper Song, Patricia Curtis Pfitsch Dragon Keeper, Carole Wilkinson The Good Earth, Pearl S. Buck * Haroun and the Sea of Stories, Salmon Rushdie (India) The Legend of the Wandering King, (Translated edition) Laura Gallego Garcia Nectar in a Sieve, Kamala Markandaya (India) * Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats, T. S. Eliot Persepolis, (a graphic novel), Marjane Satrapi Rice without Rain, Minfong Ho Secrets in the House of Delgado, Gloria Miklowitz Shabanu, Suzanne Fisher Staples Shiva’s Fire, Suzanne Fisher Staples Sky Burial: An epic love story of Tibet, Xinran Xue Snow Flower and the Secret Fan, Lisa See The Story of My Life: An Afghan Girl on the Other Side of the Sky, Farah Ahmedi with Tamin Ansary Ties that Bind, Ties That Break, Lensey Namioka When My Name Was Keoko, Linda Sue Park Year of Impossible Goodbyes, Sook Nyul Choi
Level 3
Babette’s Feast, Isak Dinesen (Denmark) The Book of the Dun Cow, Water Wangerin, Jr Joy Luck Club, Amy Tan * The Last of the Mohicans, James Fennimore (abridged version available) To Live (China), Yu Hua Photos that Changed the World (visual literacy ), Peter Stepan (editor) The Power of One, Bryce Courtenay Women of the Silk– Gail Tsukiyama
Books Recommended by Students
To Kill a Mockingbird - Harper Lee
-Ka Wai <*)}}))>[
Theme 4
8th Grade Humanities Supplementary Reading ListThis is a supplementary reading list to complement the themes and curriculum that will be covered throughout the Humanities program. We have a great selection of books for you, from mystery, adventure and historical to some of the latest contemporary fiction. We’ve included non-fiction, poetry and graphic novels in the list. Books that are also on the reading lists for High School have been marked by an asterisk (*).
Books have been coded by color according to the difficulty of the book. Level 3 is the most challenging level. The books have been organized chronologically into the themes we will cover throughout the year. We have included films that can serve as additional background and text.
Before choosing a book we suggest that each student does a little research about the book so that they make sure it is appropriate for them both in reading level and interest. As education is a team effort, we would like to encourage parents to be a part of this process.
We want to remind students that you should be reading a variety of different genres and levels. Books at Level 1 have just as important a message as books at Level 3. For Level 3 non-fiction books, students might find certain chapters easier than others. It is okay to read 1 or 2 chapters within a book and to come back to the book when you are older.
Level 3 Reaching (sophisticated vocabulary, making connections with new ideas, reaching beyond what you know and exploring new concepts,)
Level 2 Bridging (age appropriate language, some familiar concepts)
Level 1 Expanding (expanding vocabulary, ideas and concepts)
Film
Not One Less (China)Jean de Floret (France)
The Red Balloon (France)
To Live (China)
All Quiet on the Western Front (USA)
Fiddler On the Roof (Eastern Europe)
Texts
Level 1
The Amah, Laurence YepBless Me Ultima, Rudolfo Anaya
Chinese Cinderella, Adeline Yen Mah
Confessions of a Closet Catholic, Sarah Darer Littman
Hiroshima, Laurence Yep
Project Mulberry, Linda Sue Park
Thief of Hearts, Laurence Yep
When The Legends Die, Hal Borland
Level 2
American Born Chinese, Gene Luen Yang (graphic novel)RiceWithout Rain, Minfong Ho
Children of the River, Linda Crew
The Conch Bearer (The Brotherhood of the Conch series) Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni
Cuba 15, Nancy Osa
The Deeper Song, Patricia Curtis Pfitsch
Dragon Keeper, Carole Wilkinson
The Good Earth, Pearl S. Buck *
Haroun and the Sea of Stories, Salmon Rushdie (India)
The Legend of the Wandering King, (Translated edition) Laura Gallego Garcia
Nectar in a Sieve, Kamala Markandaya (India) *
Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats, T. S. Eliot
Persepolis, (a graphic novel), Marjane Satrapi
Rice without Rain, Minfong Ho
Secrets in the House of Delgado, Gloria Miklowitz
Shabanu, Suzanne Fisher Staples
Shiva’s Fire, Suzanne Fisher Staples
Sky Burial: An epic love story of Tibet, Xinran Xue
Snow Flower and the Secret Fan, Lisa See
The Story of My Life: An Afghan Girl on the Other Side of the Sky, Farah Ahmedi with
Tamin Ansary
Ties that Bind, Ties That Break, Lensey Namioka
When My Name Was Keoko, Linda Sue Park
Year of Impossible Goodbyes, Sook Nyul Choi
Level 3
Babette’s Feast, Isak Dinesen (Denmark)The Book of the Dun Cow, Water Wangerin, Jr
Joy Luck Club, Amy Tan *
The Last of the Mohicans, James Fennimore (abridged version available)
To Live (China), Yu Hua
Photos that Changed the World (visual literacy ), Peter Stepan (editor)
The Power of One, Bryce Courtenay
Women of the Silk– Gail Tsukiyama
Books Recommended by Students
To Kill a Mockingbird - Harper Lee-Ka Wai <*)}}))>[